Will He Tell You “I Never Knew You”?

© 2020 by Tom Boynton (editing by Kathy Boynton)

Here’s a potentially terrifying passage!

“Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Mat. 7:19-23)

Imagine being one to whom Christ says, “Depart!”  Many, thinking they’re saved, shall experience this horror, forever.  According to this passage, only those Christ knows are saved from His wrath.

The word “knew,” as Christ uses it here, isn’t describing everyone Christ knows about.  Christ omnisciently knows everything about everyone.  He’s using it to describe a personal relationship.  It can even refer to the private relationship between a man and a woman (Matthew 1:25).  Christ doesn’t have this personal relationship with everyone.  He saves only those He “knows.”

Notice:  Many whom Christ commands to depart are very religious.  They think they’ve done “many wonderful works” in His name.  Today, these might be folks active in church work.  They may be trusting their church to absolve them on judgment day.  No church can do that!  They may have prayed a prayer seeking forgiveness from sin without any desire to stop sinning.  They’re simply using Christ as a “get out of jail free” card.

Christ describes the true characteristic of those He knows:

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”  (John 10:27-28)

All sin earns God’s punishment.  Only the sacrificial death, burial and resurrection of Christ, who is God, can pay that punishment.  Only those who’ve been moved by Him to flee sin and seek God’s forgiveness shall escape God’s judgment.  If Christ doesn’t know you in this special way, you’ll have no defense on judgment day.

Have you truly sought Christ’s deliverance from sin?  If not, tomorrow may be too late.

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